Positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway

ABSTRACT

A positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway and not relying on magnetic effects consists of guideways located between adjacent pairs of rollers and frames displaceable on said guideways having support wheels running on the guideways the upper surfaces of which are adapted to engage the plate from beneath to life it clear of the rollway and to deposit it on the rollway after correct alignment.

United States Patent 1151 3,670,864

Grandmontagne 4 1 June 20, 1972 [54] POSITIONING DEVICE FOR ALIGNING PLATES ON A ROLLWAY [56] Relerences Cited [72] Inventor: Walter Grandmontagne, lngbert/Saar, UNITED STATES PATENTS Gummy 3,561,628 2/1971 Melin ..214/750 [73] Assignee: Mueller 8: Neumann Gmbl-l, Ingbert-Saar,

Germany Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Filed: g 1970 Anomey-John J. Dennemeyer [21] Appl. No.: 65,468 [57] ABSTRACT A positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway and not [30] Foreign Appucflon p i D g. relying on magnetic effects consists of guideways located between adjacent pairs of rollers and frames displaceable on Aug. 25, 1969 Germany ..P 19 43 068.3 said guideways having support wheels running on the v guideways the upper surfaces of which are adapted to engage [521 "198/29 the plate from beneath to life it clear of the rollway and to 1 Illl- 47/22 deposit it on the rollway after correct alignment. [58] FieldofSearch ..l98/l27, 29; 214/6 P; 271/58,

271/750 6 Claims, 4 lkawlng Figures @JGEUO no POSITIONING DEVICE FOR ALIGNING PLATES ON A ROLLWAY The invention relates to a positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway, with a number of adjustable positioning units adapted to engage the plates and arranged between the rolls of the rollway, said units being adapted to be lifted and lowered and adjusted transversely to the rollway. Such positioning devices are necessary in order to line up the plates before a trimming shears if it is desired to producetrimmed strips of equal widths as far as possible or in the use of parting shears, to perform correct angle cuts.

According to the previous state of the art the positioning units consist of magnets adapted to travel transversely to the rollway, which are adapted to be raised and lowered in order to lift the plate from the under side. Since each of these positioning units must have its own adjuster drive for displacement and for lifting and lowering, it becomes necessary for reasons of economy, to restrict the number of such magnet positioning devices as far as possible. For a plate of 30 rn length, normally only four positioning units are included. Further expense is caused by the fact that the displacement drives for the positioning magnets must have a working stroke which corresponds to the maximum displacement, and by the need for foundations for supporting the travel rails carrying the positioning magnets, which are normally arranged in a carriage. The positioning of plates by means of magnetic positioning devices moreover sets a particular problem if the plates are non-magnetic. In such cases assistance has been obtained by providing additionally to the magnets pusher fingers on the adjuster carriages.

Taking into account the fact that only a comparatively few magnetic locating devices can be provided even for a great plate length, there is the difficulty that, especially for thin plates, they hang down and can rub on the rollway rolls during the lining up.

The object of the invention is to avoid the various aforesaid disadvantages of previous positioning devices, wherein the special problem is involved of obtaining, besides-a simplification especially of the device for adjusting the positioning units,

a'construction in which the positioning device as a whole is independent of the magnetizability of the plate to be positioned.

The invention aims at avoiding this difficulty and consists in the fact that the positioning units with respective frames, are

transversely adjustable and consist of carrier wheels running freely on a rise and fall running track, the frames are connected to an adjuster member extending parallel to the rollway, and the adjuster members, each supported along its length, are connected to an adjuster drive. Thereby a nonmagnetic positioning device is provided in the first plate by which both magnetizable and also non-magnetizable plates, for example high grade steel plates, can be positioned. To this extent the saving obtained by the omission of the expensive magnets as well as the additional foundation costs can be utilized in part to provide a greater number of positioning units for supporting the plates. The adjusting stroke for operating the positioning device in the direction transversely to the rollway can be reduced, with particular advantage, since the plates are moved during the positioning operation at twice the speed by which the frames supporting the carrier wheels are moved. This is because the carrier rollers run freely on guide tracks and thus have twice the peripheral speed of the displacement of the frames as such. Between the necessary positioning movements and the adjustment stroke for the common adjuster member to which all the carrier frames are connected, there is therefore a transmission ratio of 2:1. The ad? juster drive for the common adjuster member need therefore only be designed for half the stroke of the maximum positioning movement.

So far as already described it is of no importance how many adjuster drives operate on the common adjuster member thus including the case where the positioning device is arranged in front of a parting shears -in advance of which the trimmed plate is caused to travel by the positioning device only up to a stop rail in order that it is lined up for the purpose of producing correctly angled parting cuts: If however the positioning device is arranged in front of the trimming shears where the plate is to be aligned by marked or optically produced marking lines so as to give trimmed strips which are as closely as possible of the same width, the invention provides that the common adjuster member shall be pivotally connected to two adjuster drives operable either together or also individually and guided by means of a preferably central track pin in a linear guide extending transversely to the rollway wherein the carrier frame is pivotally connected to the adjuster member. In this way the plate can be rotated in relation to the rollway as required either parallel to itself or also by operating only one of the two adjuster drives.

Although it is possible for the carrier wheels to be fixedly supported in their frames, it is desirable for the carrier wheels to be supported by link chains fixed at both ends of the frame. In this way each carrier wheel has freedom of movement in the upright direction 'and bears smoothly on its running track. The frame consists conveniently of U-members with the limbs directed downwardly and of which the webs are recessed for passage of the carrier wheels. Thereby the running tracks for the carrier wheels are largely protected against falling scale products.

One constructional example of a non-magnetic positioning device according to the invention is shown as one constructional example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan,

FIG. 2 is a side view of a positioning unit in section on the line lI-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a positioning unit on the line Ill-Ill in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the central locating unit on the line 1v rv in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 a rollway is shown by the rollway rolls indicated at 2 on which plates are caused to pass which are to be aligned by means of a positioning device in advance of a trimming shears. The positioning device consists of a number of positioning units 4 which are distributed over the maximum length of the plates to be aligned between each successive pair of rollway rolls 2.

Each positioning unit 4 is guided by an I-member 6, forming 'a guide track, pivotally supported externally of the rollway in support carrier 8 by means of links 9 which are connected to the piston rods 10 by means of stationary rockers 13 which are connected to the joint between the links 9 and the piston rods 10 to hold the two lifter cylinders 12 in the upright position.

The positioning unit 4 according to the invention comprises a set of carrier wheels 16 arranged in a frame 14 which can run freely on a surface 18 when the frame 14 is displaced transversely to the rollway. The frame 14 is formed by U- members with the limbs directed downwardly as shown in FIG. 3 and the web embodies openings for the passage of the carrier wheels 16. The carrier wheels 16 are preferably not supported directly in the frame 14 but are parts of a link chain 20 the ends of which are fixed to the frame 14. In this way the carrier wheels are movable in the vertical direction and lie reliably on the running surfaces 18 which moreover are arranged on the web 6a of a rise and fall I-member 6.

Each frame 14 with its set of carrier wheels 16 is pivotally connected through a link 22 to a common adjuster member 24 which rests freely on the I-member 6 (FIG. 2) and preferably is guided linearly at its center transversely to the rollway. This rectilinear guiding consists as shown in FIG. 4 of the upper parts of the limbs of the central I-member 6 between which a guide roller 26 is supported on a vertical spindle 28 which extends downwardly from the adjuster member 24.

For the purpose of adjustment of the adjuster member 24 transversely to the rollway or in the longitudinal direction of the I-mcmber 6 carrying it, it is connected through pivots 30 to two adjuster cylinders 32 which in turn are secured by joints 34 to one end of each of the I-members 6 and preferably to the ends supported at for the purpose of saving space.

The method of operation of the positioning device described is as follows: when a plate 36 travels into the region I of the positioning device the two lifter cylinders 12 are operated in order to lift the plate away from the rollway whereby it is taken over by the carrier wheels (FIG. 27. In order to locate the plate for example according to a known optical locating system in advance of the trimming shears, the two adjuster cylinders 32 are operated the pistons of which are operated in both directions and are controllable both singly and also together as required by control means 37. In this way the adjuster member 24 can be moved both parallel to itself and also adjusted to the desired pivoted positions as indicated in FIG. 1 by the chain dot lines. Corresponding to the movements of the adjuster member 24 the frames 14 travel over a definite adjustment movement according to their relative positioning on the adjuster member and in some circumstances even in opposite directions. By the fact that the carrier wheels 16 roll freely on the guide tracks 18 they impart in each case to the part of the plate lying over them twice the movement of the frame 14 itself. This is because the peripheral speed of the rolling carrier wheels 16 is twice as great as the adjustment speed of their spindles which are retained in the link chains 20 and which in turn participate in all the adjusting movements of the frame 14. Thereby only half the stroke of the maximum intended positioning movement for the plate 36 is necessary at the adjuster cylinders 32.

If the positioning device according to the invention is arranged in front of a parting shears wherein the trimmed plate is to be aligned merely for carrying out angularly correct parting cuts, the two adjuster cylinders 32 do not have to be operable individually and then can also be replaced by a single adjuster drive since the plate only needs to travel by one of its trimmed edges against a stop rail 35 in order to be positioned for angularly correct parting cuts.

The essential advantages of the positioning device according to the invention are: a construction without magnets which is therefore suitable for non-magnetic plates, price advantage as compared with magnetic positioning devices and hence the use of many more carrier units is possible so that the plate does not deflect downwardly, and the provision of an arrangement which involves small operating strokes for adjustment of the plates.

I claim 1. A positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway comprising guide tracks crossing said rollway, displaceable positioning units between the rollway rolls,

said positioning units each including a frame and support wheels mounted in said frame, said support wheels being supported by said guide tracks,

means for raising and lowering said guide tracks simultaneously; thereby moving said positioning units above and below the plane formed by the top of said rollway,

an adjuster means slidably supported and extending parallel to said rollway,

means connecting said frames of said positioning units to said adjuster means, and

at least two adjuster drives pivotally connected to said adjuster means for moving said adjuster means and thereby said positioning units transversely to said rollway.

2. A positioning device according to claim I wherein said adjuster means is slidably supported by said guide tracks and guided by means of a central guide roller disposed in a linear guide extending transversely to said rollway.

3. A positioning device according to claim 1 wherein said wheels of said frames of said positioning units are connected by means of link chains secured at both ends of said frames.

4. A positioning device according to claim 3, wherein said frames consist of U-members with downwardly directed limbs, the webs of which are recessed for the passage of the carrier wheels.

5. A positioning device according to claim 4 wherein said guide tracks comprise the webs of I-members whose upright limbs form lateral guides for said frames of said positioning units and wherein said I-members are pivotally supported externally of the rollway and are adapted to be moved pivotally in the vertical direction in order to pick up a plate from the rollway and to deposit it on the rollway after it has been aligned in position. v

6. A positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway comprising guide tracks crossing said rollway,

displaceable positioning units between the rollway rolls, said positioning units each including a frame and support wheels mounted in said frame, said support wheels being supported by said guide tracks,

means for raising and lowering said guide tracks simultane- 

1. A positioning device for aligning pLates on a rollway comprising guide tracks crossing said rollway, displaceable positioning units between the rollway rolls, said positioning units each including a frame and support wheels mounted in said frame, said support wheels being supported by said guide tracks, means for raising and lowering said guide tracks simultaneously, thereby moving said positioning units above and below the plane formed by the top of said rollway, an adjuster means slidably supported and extending parallel to said rollway, means connecting said frames of said positioning units to said adjuster means, and at least two adjuster drives pivotally connected to said adjuster means for moving said adjuster means and thereby said positioning units transversely to said rollway.
 2. A positioning device according to claim 1 wherein said adjuster means is slidably supported by said guide tracks and guided by means of a central guide roller disposed in a linear guide extending transversely to said rollway.
 3. A positioning device according to claim 1 wherein said wheels of said frames of said positioning units are connected by means of link chains secured at both ends of said frames.
 4. A positioning device according to claim 3, wherein said frames consist of U-members with downwardly directed limbs, the webs of which are recessed for the passage of the carrier wheels.
 5. A positioning device according to claim 4 wherein said guide tracks comprise the webs of I-members whose upright limbs form lateral guides for said frames of said positioning units and wherein said I-members are pivotally supported externally of the rollway and are adapted to be moved pivotally in the vertical direction in order to pick up a plate from the rollway and to deposit it on the rollway after it has been aligned in position.
 6. A positioning device for aligning plates on a rollway comprising guide tracks crossing said rollway, displaceable positioning units between the rollway rolls, said positioning units each including a frame and support wheels mounted in said frame, said support wheels being supported by said guide tracks, means for raising and lowering said guide tracks simultaneously, thereby moving said positioning units above and below the plane formed by the top of said rollway, an adjuster means slidably supported and extending parallel to said rollway, means connecting frames of said positioning units to said adjuster means an adjuster drive connected to said adjuster means for moving said adjuster means and thereby said positioning units transversely to said rollway, and a stop rail disposed as aligning abutment for plates which are moved against said stop rail. 